Outlander star Sam Heughan has sparked a heated debate in Scotland after speaking out against a rapid AI data centre boom threatening the country’s landscapes. The actor warned that 24 proposed sites could more than double Scotland’s peak energy demand, raising fears over pollution, water use, and the future of historic locations like those featured in Outlander. With communities protesting near castles and natural landmarks, Heughan’s warning reveals a battle between tech expansion and preserving Scotland’s iconic beauty.

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Outlander star Sam Heughan has sparked a heated debate in Scotland after speaking out against a rapid AI data centre boom threatening the country’s landscapes. The actor warned that 24 proposed sites could more than double Scotland’s peak energy demand, raising fears over pollution, water use, and the future of historic locations like those featured in Outlander. With communities protesting near castles and natural landmarks, Heughan’s warning reveals a battle between tech expansion and preserving Scotland’s iconic beauty.

2026/08/06 Report

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Outlander star Sam Heughan speaks out against Scottish AI data centre boom

Heughan, alongside his acting career and distilling business, is a prominent campaigner, having worked with various environmental and wildlife charities through his charitable campaign the My Peak Challenge.

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“It’s a short sighted money-grab,” he said when asked about a boom in applications to build AI data centres across Scotland. “Putting money in the pockets of large corporations and landowners and thinking nothing of the long-term effect to the countryside, water sources and communities that live there.

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